PREPARED BY: Environmental Health
DATE: September 26, 2024
SUBJECT: Small Drinking Water Systems
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The Environmental Health (EH) Department conducts inspections of small drinking water systems (SDWSs) in Windsor and Essex County (WEC), as a part of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s (WECHU) Safe Water Program. This mandatory program contributes to the prevention and reduction of illnesses related to drinking water and operates under the requirements outlined in the Safe Drinking Water and Fluoride Monitoring Protocol, 2019, the Small Drinking Water Systems Risk Assessment Guideline, 2018, and Ontario Regulation 319/08.
SDWSs under Ontario Regulation 319/08 include:
- Non-municipal seasonal residential drinking water systems that serve such facilities as private cottages on communal drinking water systems.
- Non-municipal non-residential drinking water systems that serve such facilities as motels, resorts, restaurants, gas stations, churches, and bed and breakfasts.
- Small municipal non-residential drinking water systems that serve such facilities as small community centres, libraries, and sports and recreation facilities.
- A major residential development, or a trailer park or campground with 6 or more connections and does not operate year round with at least one closure period of 60 consecutive days in every calendar year or every period beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31 of the following year.
- A municipal drinking water system that does not serve a major residential development, or a trailer park or campground with six or more connections, and does not serve a designated facility as defined in Ontario Regulation 170/03.
- Large municipal non-residential drinking water systems that serve such facilities as municipally-owned airports and industrial parks, and large sports and recreation facilities.
Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) assess the risk level of SDWSs and issue site-specific directives to owners and operators, which include legal requirements for sampling and testing frequency, treatment, equipment, record maintenance, and signage posting. Assessments are required to be completed every two to four years, at minimum. In addition, PHIs monitor SDWSs to ensure that the requirements outlined in the directives and Ontario Regulation 319/08: Small Drinking Water Systems are being met. They also investigate all adverse water quality incidents in a timely manner and ensure that appropriate corrective actions are taken to protect the public from unsafe water.
In WEC, there are currently 31 SDWSs, 30 of which are located on Pelee Island.
SDWS Summary
| Year | # of Completed Inspections | # of Boil Water Orders Issued | # of Boil Water Orders Resolved | # of Ongoing Boil Water Orders | # of Closure Orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 (data pulled August 26, 2024) | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
DISCUSSION
There are 10 SDWS assessments and re-assessments due for 2024. Assessments on Pelee Island will continue to take place until November, as permissible by the available ferry services.
The EH Department has also been experiencing challenges in maintaining an accurate inventory of SDWSs due to business closures and changes in business ownership. In collaboration with the Township of Pelee, work is being done to increase education and awareness regarding the requirements for SDWSs registration with the WECHU, as per Ontario Regulation 319/08.
All routine and complaint-based inspection reports of SDWSs and drinking water advisories are made available on the health unit’s Disclosure Website. Assessments are posted within two weeks of a completed inspection and remain posted for four to eight years.